Commonplace
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www.common-place.org · vol. 1 · no. 4 · July 2001
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girl

The Common School
Selected spirituals' lyrics

"Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho"

Refrain:
Joshua fit de battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho,
Joshua fit de battle of Jericho,
And de walls come tumblin' down.

Stanzas:
You may talk about yo' king ob Gideon;
You may talk about yo' man ob Saul;
Dere's none like good ole Joshua
At de battle of Jericho.

Up to de walls ob Jericho
He marched with sper in han'.
"Go blow dem ram horns," Joshua cried,
"Kase de battle am in my han'."

Den de ram sheep horns being to blow:
Trupets begin to sound.
Joshua commanded de chillen to shout,
An' the walls come tumblin' down.

 

"Steal Away"

Refrain:
Steal away, steal away,
Steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain't got long to stay here.

Stanza:
My Lord calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain't got long to stay here.

 

"Git on Board, Little Chillen'"

Refrain:
Git on board, little chillen,
Git on board, little chillen,
Git on board, little chillen,
Dere's room for many a mo'.

Stanza:
De gospel train's a-comin',
I hear it jus' at han';
I hear de car wheels movin'
An' rumblin' thro do lan'.

 

"Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel"

Refrain:
Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel,
Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel,
Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel,
An' why not every man?

Stanza:
He delivered Daniel f'om de lion's den,
Jonah f'om de belly of de wale,
An' de Hebrew chillen f'om de fiery furnace,
An' why not every man?

 

"Deep River"

Refrain:
Deep river,
My home is over Jordan,
Deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.

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